Children&#39;s riding device



Nov. 18, 1958 F. A. BAKER CHILDREN S RIDING DEVICE Filed May 9 1955 Fay A. Baker INVENT OR United States Patent CHILDRENS RIDING DEVI'CE Foy A. Baker, Texarkana, Ark.

Application May 9, 1955, Serial No. 507,073

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-17) This invention relates to playground equipment and more particularly to a childs riding device.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a riding device for children from which entertainment is derived through the medium of a frame from which a seat is suspended by coil springs arranged in such manner that body movements of the rider will cause expansion and contraction of the springs, permitting the rider to swing vertically, horizontally and in other angular directions, limited only by the degree of expansion of the several springs providing the only support for the seat.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for the entertainment and amusement of children which is designed and constructed with a view to safety, the seat of the device being embraced by a cage or basket enclosure preventing even the smallest child from falling out of the seat and suffering possible injury.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds when considered with the annexed drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a childs riding device constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective View of the eX- pansion link arrangement of one of the end spring assemblies, and

Figure 3 is a similar view of the expansion link arrangement of one of the side spring assemblies.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, the frame of the riding device is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. This frame is constructed preferably in the manner shown and with tubular stock. A pair of inverted substantially U-shaped members 11 and 12 constitute the supporting means for the device, these members each being shaped to define downwardly divergent legs 13 and 14, respectively and a horizontal support 15 and 16, respectively.

A basket or cage, generally indicated by reference numeral 17 of substantially frusto-coniform shape is suspended from the horizontal supports 15 and 16 by a series of spring assemblies 18, 19, and 21. The spring assemblies 18 and 20 are of identical construction while the spring assemblies 19 and 21 are identical. Further reference to these assemblies will be made presently.

The basket 17, as shown, has a base made up of heavy gauge wire formed into a ring 22, and diametrically extending, parallel wires 23 whose ends are welded to the ring 22 to form a floor or bottom in the basket. At circumferentially spaced intervals about the ring 23 are welded or otherwise secured the lower ends of a plurality of upwardly convergent wires or rods 24, forming the sides of the basket and whose upper ends are secured in like manner to a smaller ring 25 formed of the same or similar material as the lower ring 22. A seat 26 is supported on legs 27 within the basket 17 and, as a further safety feature, pairs of vertical rods 28 are disposed between the rods 24 of diametrically opposed pairs of said rods and whose lower ends are welded to the ring 22. The upper ends of the vertical rods 28 are curved in up posite directions and welded to adjacent rods or wires 24 in the manner shown.

The front or entrance to the basket 17 is unobstructed but above the seat 26, opposite the entrance, a pair of curved rods 29 extend between adjacent rods 24 to which the ends thereof are welded to provide a back. to seat 26.

Each of the spring assemblies 18 and 20 consists of a pair of heavy coil springs 30 and 31. The outer ends of springs 30 are connected, by means of clips 32 to the horizontal portion 15 of the frame member 11 adjacent each end thereof. To the inner end of the coil spring 30 is connected one end of a link 33 (Figure 2). To the opposite end of link 33 is connected one end of an identical link 34 by means of a pin 35. The inner ends of the companion springs 31 of the assemblies 18 and 20 are connected to the opposite ends of their respective links 34.

An elongate link 36 is connected at one end to the pivoted ends of the links 33 and 34 and has connected to its opposite end one end of the shank 37 of a spring latch 38. The opposing springs 31 of the spring assemblies 13 and 20 are each connected at its outer end to the horizontal portion 16 of the frame member 12 by means of clips 39.

The spring assemblies 19 and 21 are quite similar to the assemblies 18 and 20 just described. The assembly 19 is composed of heavy coil springs 40 and 41 Whose outer ends are connected to the horizontal portion 16 of the frame member 12 by clips 42 in close adjacency to the clips 32 by which the spring assemblies 18 and 20 are suspended. In like manner, the outer ends of the springs of the companion spring assembly 21 are joined. to the opposing horizontal portion 15 of the frame member 11 by clips 43.

By referring to Figure 3, it will be observed that the expansion link arrangement for the spring assemblies 19 and 21 each consists of a link 44, connected at one end to the inner end of the coil spring 40 and whose other end is connected to one end of a companion link 45 by a pin 46. The opposite end of the link 45 is connected to the inner end of the spring 41. A third link 47 in the assembly has one end connected to the pivoted ends of links 44- and 45 and has an S-shaped link 48 looped in its opposite end.

The spring assemblies 18, 19, 20 and 21 are each connected to the top ring 25 of the basket 17 by having their respective latches 37 and links 48 engaged with loops 49, welded to and spaced circumferentially about the upper ring 25 in the manner shown in Figure l.

The frame 10 is made substantially by cross-braces 50 and 51 which extend from legs 13 to legs 14 of the frame members 11 and 12 at each end of the frame 10 and horizontal braces 53 and 54 extending between the legs 13 of frame member 11 and the legs 14 of frame member 12, respectively.

It is evident from the foregoing that a child seated in the basket 17 may, by certain body movements, cause the basket 17 to bounce vertically, swing laterally or move in any of several directions, always rebounding in the opposite direction by virtue of the dual spring assemblies, all cooperating to produce the described result.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An amusement apparatus comprising a pair of opposed and interconnected frame members, each having a horizontal portion paralleling the horizontal portion of the companion frame member, a plurality of pairs of coil springs, each having one end connected to a horizontal portion of said frame members and extending in sub Patented Nov. 18, 1958 stantially horizontal planes toward the center of said frame, a riding seat in a basket, and means detachably connecting the converging inner ends of said springs to said riding seat basket, to yieldably suspend the latter midway between said frame members composed of a pair of links pivoted together at oneend, each having its oppo: site end connected to an inner end of a coil spring of each pair of said coil springs and a third link connected at one end to the pivoted ends of said, pair of links and at its opposite end to said basket;

2. In a riding device, a pair of opposed frame members, each having a horizontal portion parallel withthe horizontal portion of the adjacent frame member, a wire fabricated basket having a seat therein, a plurality of pairs of coil springs, the springs of each pair having their outer endsconnected to the horizontal portionsof said frame members and theirinner ends converging toward a cen- 4 tral point between said frame members, and means connecting the inner ends of said springs to said basket consisting of a pair of links pivotally joined together at one end and connected at their opposite ends to the adjacent inner ends of a pair of coil springs and a third link pivoted at one end to the pivoted ends of said pair of links and detachably connected at its opposite end to said basket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 16,942 Wellrnan Mar. 31, 1857 73,801 Hales Jan. 28, 1868 130,397 Wells Aug. 13, 1872 614,566 Meadows Nov. 22, 1898 659,487 McMurdy Oct. 9, 1900 

